Sharpening device for cutlery



March 26, 1946. R." J. FOSTER f 2,397,256

SHARPENING DEVICE. FOR GUTLERY Filed Feb. 21, 1944 2 sneek-sheet 1 Snpenior f ,14292. 1 -jpge;/JZ55/fef Gitomegs Marh 26, 1946. im. FOSTER 397,256 f l `sHAlaPENIlfIG DEVICE FOR CUTLERY Filed Feb.' 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nventor n 'mer/Myer Gomegs Patentecl Mar. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,397,256 SHARPENING DEVICE Foa CUTLERY Robert J. Foster, Pontiac, Mich. Application February Z1, 1944, Serial No." 523,279

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to scissors sharpeners, and more particularly, to a support therefor.

The primary object of the invention is to provvide a scissors Sharpener in which the blade of the scissors is held in such a manner as to assume its normal bow so that as the blade is sharpened it will be sharpened in a bowed condition in lieu of the present practice of sharpening the blade while the same is held relatively straight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for sharpening scissors to facilitate the corrugating of the blade lengthwise of the cuttingedge which is highly desirable in various types of scissors and shears to increase the :utting action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scissors Sharpener having a guide means for supporting the free end of a file or other sharpening tool at the required angle relative to the blade of the scissors so that the cutting edge of the scissors may be sharpened at an oblique angle initially and the le or cutting tool adjusted to a smaller angle so that another surface may be formed on the cutting edge and thereby provide a longitudinal ridge or corrugation on the scissors blades in addition to the initial bevelled or oblique surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide /a scissors sharpening device having concave and convex anvils disposed in close relation one to the other so that the blades may be laid on the convex anvil and tapped slightly to impart the required bow thereto while the handles of the scissors may be supported on the convex anvil and tapped with an instrument to give the required and necessary pitch thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scissors Sharpener and a support therefor which may be used in tonsorial parlors and dressmaking shops` and in' which the support may be placed on the seat of a chair so that the operator may assume a sitting position thereon while sharpening the scissors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which may be adjusted angularly relative to the supmovement of the file in such a directionas to provide a saw-toothed profile along the cutting edge of the blade.

Other objects and advantages of the device will become apparent during the courses of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is atop plan view of the scissors sharpener showing the manner in which the scissors are supported so that one of the blades may be held in a slightly bowed `position during the sharpening thereof;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the scissors sharpening device further showing themanner in which the leis supported on a compound angle relative to the blade;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the scissors sharpening device illustrating the general arrangement thereof and the locationof the convex and concave anvils at one side thereof;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 in Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the manner in which the handle portion of the' scissors is clamped so that the blade will project therefrom and be engaged by a support for imparting the required bow thereto;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a guide attachlment adapted to be aiIiXed to the end of the file or other sharpening instrument; and

Figure 6 is a side elevational View of the guide attachment illustrating the manner in which the same is secured and attached to the end of the file.

Figure 7 is an end elevational view of the scissors Sharpener showing its attachmentto seat board.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustrating the invention like reference characters will be employed to designate like parts throughout, the reference character 5 will generally be employed to .indicate a base having a top surface 6 and marginal depending flange portion 1. 'Ihe base 5 is preferably formed rectangular in shape and adjacent one corner thereof is 'located a vertical support 8 terminating in a jaw portion 9 havingan oblique jaw surface I0. The upright 8 is spaced from the top wall 6 of the base by means of a connecting Web portion l l to reenforce the upright `8 and prevent vibration thereof. The upright 8 isprovided with a rounded socket surface I3 for receiving the rounded end portion I4 of a lmovable jaw-memberl. The jaw member l5 is disposed fin opposed relation to the jaw member 9 and is .provided with a complementary jaw surface I8 substantially parallel with the oblique jaw surface l0. The movable jaw member I is provided with an opening |1 for receiving a clamping bolt as at I8 with its threaded end received in a threaded bore in the jaw member 9 and its opposite end provided with a head I9 having opposed thumb pieces 20.

Formed integral with the base top wall 6 and intermediate the ends thereof in Aspaced relation from the upright B''is a blade support 2| reenforced from' the top wall 6 by a thin interconnecting web portion 22 so as to brace the upright 2|A in a manner similar to the upright 9. The eX-i tremeupper end of the upright 2| isvnotched as in the notch 23 of the support 2|. When the scissors are'thus arranged with one of the blades positioned as above, the clamping bolt I8 is tight- Vened to move the jaw l5 toward the jaw 9( By reason of the oblique relation of the jaw surfaces l0 and |8, a slight bulge is imparted to the blade 25 which is slightly accentuated over the normal bow inherent in most all scissors and shears. The scissors are now in position to beV sharpened by a file or the like as at F and in order to guide the extending through a central opening 50 in said,V

file F along the surface o'f'the cutting edge, guide Y v means is provided on the yother side o'f the base 6 and comprises a pair of 'spaced uprights 28 and 29 as'shown clearly in Figure 1 formed integral with the top wall of the base 6 and reenforced therefrom by triangularshaped"reenforcing web portions 30 and 3| respectively. The uprights 28 and 29 are provided with `a series rof spaced supporting rods 32 one end of whichV is threaded Vfor reception in spaced threaded openings 33 in the upright 28 while the other end extends through;

an opening in the upright 29 in` alignment withv the corresponding threaded opening or bore '33.` YThe ends of the rods 32 are provided with tool-` receiving heads 35 which permit the rods to be tightened in place by means "of a screw-driver or,`

the like. I-t is notedV that the file guiding and supporting rods 32 are offset longitudinally from the scissors support to facilitate the correct angular movement of the file F during the sharpening of the blade 25.

The supporting rods 32 are adapted to slidably engage an attachment 36 secured to the end of the file Fand said attachment is provided with a head 31 slotted as at 378 to provide 'a pair of jaw portions 39 so as to `gripthe end of 'the file F. A clamping screw '4 0 is passed through the head 31 so as to draw theclamping jaw 39V to` gether and, if desired, the complementary faces of the clamping jaws '39 maybe cut away to conform to the contour or shape of thefle end.

Formed in another corner ofthe ,base 5 von the top wall 6 thereof is a pair' ofanvil blocks 42 and 43 disposed inside by "side relation and it is noted The nie F is zprovided with-a nandie fn te be grasped by the operator duringthe sharpening Yof the scissors, If desired; various types of les l may be Vused during thesharpening operation but i in accordance with the best practice, a cross'cut that the anvilblock 4,2` is provided withaconvex Y a surface 44 while the anvil" block 43Ais'provided with aconcave surface 45.

2,397,256 x ille is used rst withY the slide rod 3S supported on the lowermost rod 32 so as to form a cutting surface along the edge of the blade 25 afterwhich a single cut file is used withthe slide rod 36 supported on one of the uppermost .guide rods 32 so Vas to impart a slight saw-toothed surface to the cutting edge on an angle different 'than the first surface sharpened, which is highly desirable in l various types of shears and particularly, barbers shears so as to prevent the pair from slipping along the blade during the shearing action thereof.

As shown inFigure 7, the base 5 is supported on a seat board 46 which may be tapered at one' end as at 41 to permit the end of the board to be placed upon the seat of a chair so that the operator may assume a sitting position thereon with the other end of the board 48 projecting in front of the opera-tor. The base 5 is pivoted to the end of the board 48 by means of a bolt 49 base having a surrounding boss 5| to provide a bearing surface for engaging the board. The bolt 49 may be held in place by means of a nut or the like as at 52 threaded on the lower end thereof.

AIn operation, the scissors are clamped in position between the jaws 9 and|5 as shown in Fig ures 1 and 2 so that the free end of the blade 25 of the scissors will engage and be received in a Vslot 23 in the upper end of the upright 2 l; rWith the scissors in this position, and the blade substantially horizontal the le F is presented to the blade with the slide attachment 36 resting on 'one of the lowermost rods 32 so that a recipro-V catory motion applied to the le F will'impar't an annular contour or surface on the cutting edge of the blade 25. After the blade has thus been sharpened with a cross-cut file, a, single cut le may be substituted and the guide rod portion 35 of the attachment 31Y may be supported on one of the uppermost rods 32 so that a to and fro movement applied Yto the le with the file onrthe compoundY angle will impart another surface'to the cutting VVedge and provide the same withja longitudinal rib or corrugation extending lengthwise of the cutting edge. The last-mentioned surface will-be cut with a minute saw-toothed edge which, as mentioned before, is highly desirable.

If it is desired to bowV the blade 25 of theps'cissors beyond the normal bow, the blade is laid on the anvil 43 and struck a blow with a hammer or the like so as to bendA the blade to the jproper shape. If it is desired to change the pitch offth'e handles 21 they are placed on the anvil 44 and a `struck with a hammer or the like so as to bend the handles to such a position as to follow inA a straight line plane relative one to the other.

Obviously; the scissors blade 25 may be sharpjened to provide the cutting edge with various angular surfaces by simplymoving the guiderportionjof the attachment into Vsliding engagement withthe varioushorizontal slide guide rods 32.

' Yltris toibe understood that the form o frthenin-v vention herewith shown and described isgtobe taken as a preferred embodiment ofthe same and ythat variousV changes (may be fmade inthe o shape, sizek and arrangement of a partswithQut de- Dartins from thelrirt' A0f the 'invention 'Ori the scope ofthe subjoinedclaim's.

WhatIclaim is:

1. A scissors Sharpener comprising albrase,V a`

pair of spaced uprightson the base for supporting a pair of shears to be sharpened Vand arguide member disposed at the opposite side ofthe base for guiding a sharpening -tool with respect to one of the blades of said shears, said guide member consisting of a series of horizontal rods arranged for receiving and guiding the end of a sharpening too] disposed at various angles with respect to the blade of said pair of shears being sharpened.

2. A device for sharpening articles of cutlery, comprising a base, a support on the base adapted to clampingly receive an article of cutlery, an upright formed on the base in spaced apart relation from said support for engaging the end of said article of cutlery and imparting thereto a slight bow throughout its length', and a guide member disposed on said base in opposed relation to said support and upright for guiding a, sharpening tool over the edge of said article of cutlery at a predetermined angle, said guide member consisting of a pair of spaced uprights at each end of I the base having interconnecting guide rods extending therebetween.

3. A scissors Sharpener comprisinga base, a pair of spaced uprights on the base for supporting a pair of shears to be sharpened, and a guide member disposed at the opposite side of the base for guiding a sharpening tool with respect to one of the blades of said shears, said guide member consisting of a pair of spaced uprights at each end of the base having interconnecting guide rods extending therebetween.

4. A device for sharpening cutlery comprising a base, a pair of spaced uprights on said base, one of said uprights being provided with an obliquely larranged clamping jaw surface, a clamping jaw member for said one upright having a jaw surface complementary to said rstmentioned jaw surface for supporting and clamping an article of cutlery therebetween with the f free end of said article engaging said other upright, whereby said article of cutlery will be bowed throughout its length, guide mechanism on said base for guiding a sharpening instrument along the cutting edge of said article of cutlery, and a clamping member for holding said clamping jaws in clamping engagement with said article of cutlery, said guide mechanism comprising a series of spaced rods and a guide extension afxed to the sharpening instrument for slidably engaging said rods and maintaining the instrument in a predetermined angle while in engagement with the article of cutlery.

5. A device for sharpening cutlery comprising a base, a pair of spaced uprights on said base, one of said uprights being provided with an obliquely arranged clamping jaw lsurface extending at an angle to the longitudinal edge of said base, a clamping jaw member for said one upright having a jaw surface complementary to said first-mentioned jaw surface for supporting and clamping an article of cutlery therebetween with the free end of said article engaging said other upright, whereby said article of cutlery will be bowed throughout its length upon different arcs when various clamping pressures are exerted on said jaw surfaces, guide mechanism on said base for guiding a sharpening instrument along the cutting edge of said article of cutlery, a`

clamping member for holding said clamping jaws in clamping engagement with said article of cutlery, a pair of uprights on the base on the opposite edge thereof, a series of spaced rods extending between said uprights, and a guide extension aixed to the sharpening instrument for engaging said rods to position said instrument in a predetermined angle while in engagement with the article of cutlery.

6. A device for sharpening cutlery comprising a base, a pair of spaced uprights on said base, one of said uprights being provided with an obliquely arranged clamping jaw surface extending at an angle to the edge of the base, a clamping jaw member for said one upright having an inclined jaw surface complementary to said firstmentioned jaw surface for supporting and clamping an article of cutlery therebetween with the free end of said article of cutlery engaging said other upright whereby said article will be bowed throughout its length upon dilerent arcs when the pressure between said jaws is varied, guide mechanism on said base for guiding a sharpening instrument along the cutting edge of said article of cutlery, a pair of uprights in opposed relation to said rst-mentioned uprights, horizontal guide rods extending between said uprights, and a clamping member for holding said clamping jaws in clamping engagement with said article of cutlery, said guide mechanism comprising an extension affixed to the sharpening instrument having a rod portion for slidably engaging one of said horizontal rods disposed on the other side of the base.

ROBERT J. FOSTER. 

